Job Discussion Forums

[shogoz]

Hi all!

I was wondering if anybody could suggest a good agency/website i could go through so i can organise an apartment for me and my friend for when we land in Osaka next week . I have looked through Gaijinpot and someone from there suggested Leoplace21 would best suit my needs, but, i have heard some bad things about Leoplace from people's experiences such as hidden costs/cockroaches and would like to keep my options open. I want an apartment for 1 month and in or around (but not too far from) Osaka while i look for a job teaching English. If anybody can suggest a good agency/website or tell me a bit about their own experiences then i will really appreciate it!

[seklarwia]

Pretty much all the ALTs around here start off in Leopalace (I live in one now) and nobody has reported cockroaches.

In a bigger city, you get more cockroaches... it's unfortunately a fact of life.

As to hidden costs. There are none really. It probably just came as a surprise to some when they had to pay agency fees, contract signing fees, etc when it came time to moving in. The same happens in regular rentals too apart from you sometimes also have to pay the dreaded key money on top of all the other fees (Leopalace doesn't charge key money).

I know LP have a contract designed for short term rentals, but having never done it myself, I'm not too sure about how the fees vary from a regular rental contract.

If you are only going to live in the place for a month or so, it might be better to check out guesthouses or something. The monthly rental cost may be a little hirer, but it will work out cheaper than paying all the fees required to move into an actual rental apartment.

[Inflames]

While you're searching (a bad time for it at that), check out the Kansai Flea Market. They have guest houses and stuff, which is what I recommend initially. To be honest, if you're staying for more than a year, leopalace is a ripoff. Once you find a job, then find a place to stay close to work. There are various places that can help you find a place with minimal start-up costs.